VanVleet giving new Raptor Davis advice and tough loveBack to video

After playing eight minutes in the first half as the second man off of the bench and picking up four assists without hitting a shot, the explosive Davis let it fly and finished with eight points on 11 shots (the second-most attempts on the team), five assists and three steals.

Though he missed each of his five three-point attempts, Davis flashed his athleticism with a soaring one-handed jam that drew oohs and ahhs from the crowd.

With a need at point guard behind Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet, the Raptors have been getting Davis, primarily a swingman in college, to learn a new position.

He showed some good vision with the assists and only two turnovers and also caught Chris Boucher in stride for what should have been an easy bucket, but Boucher fumbled the pass.

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VanVleet, who also went undrafted and opted to sign with the Raptors, has taken Davis under his wing and is giving him some tough love amidst the support.

“He’s been good. He’s been aggressive (but) there’s a lot of room for growth,” VanVleet said when asked by the Toronto Sun about what he has seen from Davis so far.

“He’s got to get a lot better obviously to be able to help this team but you see flashes. You see what he brings to the table. But he’s kind of in an awkward position. I know they’re asking him to do some primary ball-handling which is probably not natural for him so I think in a more traditional second unit with a point guard (on the floor with him) he can play off the ball more,” VanVleet said.

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“But he’s got the right approach. He works and the talent will show when it needs to show he’s got a bright future and we are all trying to help him and speed up his learning curve. He’s got a lot to learn as well but you like what you see from him.”

BACK IN ACTION

The Raptors will experiment a bit in the pre-season in order to figure out how everybody fits in.

“It’s the super-early stages, especially for us,” Nick Nurse said earlier this week.

“We’ve got a lot of new faces and we’re trying to determine where they are going to slot in, but it’s also good to get our band back together again and get them playing as a group.”

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In the opener against Houston, nearly every Raptor saw some action, with Canadians Boucher and Oshae Brissett amongst those showing interesting flashes.

Pascal Siakam couldn’t help himself when a Japanese interviewer asked VanVleet about his slight stature and how short players, in general, can succeed. Siakam broke out laughing and had to bury his head in his hat while VanVleet maintained his composure and as usual came up with a thoughtful answer.

“Why is that so funny?” VanVleet asked his pal Siakam before quipping, “I wasn’t the shortest player out there tonight.”

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VanVleet said he’s interested to see what the NBA’s new height measurements reveal about certain players.

“I’d like to see where I’m ranked with the new measurements,” VanVleet said with a smile. Siakam asked if he would be listed at 6-foot-2. VanVleet said six-feet — and a half. He added smaller players must be relentless, tough and work on their outside shots.

SEEN AND HEARD

Had to laugh while situated at our baseline perch for the game to see Raptors president Masai Ujiri in mid-season form chirping a referee about a debatable call in a pre-season game. Ujiri was outdone though by Rockets veterans like Russell Westbrook and Tyson Chandler, who were trash-talking just about everyone. To wit, at one point while Davis was at the free-throw line Westbrook uttered a colourful version of “who the hell are you?” … Nurse said he brought his guitar on the trip. Any gigs in Tokyo? “Nothing yet,” Nurse said … James Harden basically did whatever he wanted, but OG Anunoby has always given him at least a bit of trouble and Siakam did decently when matched up with him too. VanVleet gave Harden a taste of his own medicine by burning him off of the dribble a couple of times. Harden was having fun though. After a big blocked shot (not exactly a mainstay of his game), Harden signalled first down the other way, NFL style, causing his teammates to break out in a fit of laughter … Serge Ibaka has dozens of self-given nicknames but the new one he told us might just be the best: Mafuzzy Champ.

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